Problem
by AMM1988
Summary: This is just a long drabble from Franks POV. Takes place at the end of the school year. I didn't include the murder. its my first fanfic and wasn't feeling that creative.


Summer Break. He looked forward to it every year, almost as much as the over stressed law students taking up space in the office. He may not get three months off, but he did get 3 months of shorter hours and a lighter work load when he didn't have to add babysitting a bunch of aspiring lawyers on top of his everyday job. Its amazing how much easier his work was when he didn't have to explain everything he was doing step by step to these kids before he did it. Peace and quiet around work, and in his town. As much as he normally appreciated the sorority girls running around and the revenue the school brought in to his hometown, he was always relieved to have the streets thinned out and to have less tourists roaming about his childhood streets. It was usually his favorite time of year...until Laurel Castillo happened.

How can someone make everything exceptionally better, yet worse at the same time?

The problem is, Laurel was one of the out of state students who would probably be going home this year. And that would definitely put a damper in his own little summer break. The other problem is he doesn't even know, because they haven't talked about it. Which leads him to his other, bigger problem: 7 months of a continued, exclusive sexual relationship has not evolved from what it started as; a sexual relationship. At least not in words. Frank _feels _like its evolved. He _feels_ like he is in a committed relationship. He would even be comfortable thinking that he _feels_ like he is falling in love. But he certainly wouldn't be comfortable _saying _that.

Don't get him wrong, Frank isn't hardly as much of a player or commitment-phobe as his reputation would lead you to believe. Sure he loves the ladies, but he his human. He gets lonely and he admittedly is getting older and has no plans to be a bachelor forever. No, hes man enough to confess his feelings and to take his relationships to the next level. Hell, if he actually had a Facebook he imagines he would change the stupid status thing for all the world to see (_**but he doesn't because Facebook is lame and for insecure children, he does still have a reputation at the office to uphold **_). The problem is committing to and confessing his feelings to _Laurel_. Shes not just any girl. She somehow is **the **girl, and the absolutely wrong girl all at once.

Shes beautiful. Smart. Compassionate. Sexy. Determined. Strong. Secure. Moral. She is going to be a great lawyer. He knows she would also make a great wife and mother if she ever chose to do so. Shes a fantastic friend. Shes had a great upbringing,. He this knows because he even met her parents _**(Introduced** _ _**as her boss, which made him feel all kinds of unpleasant feelings he would be man enough to admit to any other **_ _** girl)**_ were a great combination of rich and driven,but also completely supportive and probably even bigger idealists than their daughter. One thing he's learned working with the uptight law students at Middleton is its rare to be privileged in both your parents wealth and their love. Rich people are weird like that he supposes. Laurel Castillo is everything most people want, and shes only just getting started on her own life. So there's his even bigger problem...himself. _He_ is the problem.

He isn't exactly shocked by his own revelations. He has been many peoples problem, before; his teachers, his moms, the juvenile court systems, and the adult court systems now that he works for Annaliese. He just isn't sure hes ever been _his own _problem before. Hes smart. Attractive. He has a good job. He can be rough around the edges **(**_**okay, he can be an asshole**_**) **but he has a good heart. He knows this. Insecurity isn't really something that effects him. There are only less than a handful of things that can make him feel inferior in general. It just so happens that any future with Laurel highlights all of those, and somehow creates new ones he has never had before.

He didn't have a great upbringing. Hes the product of an absentee father and alcoholic mother. Not exactly the best parental role models to have. He also never finished law school **(**_**though he can say that hes the only first year law student whose illegal acts to prove their dedication to Annaliese actually ever resulted in getting hired full time. He just wasn't hired into the same position he was aiming for**_**)**, which makes him feel a little "less-than" when he is in a rare self depreciating mood. He makes a good paycheck, but he isn't rich. He could never keep Laurel in the same lifestyle she was accustomed to **(**_**his brain knows damn well Laurel doesn't care about money and if she did she would support her own lifestyle, but his insecurities tend to dismiss his brain from time to **_ _**time )**_ that makes him feel like a tiny bit of a failure. Then there's the new insecurities. His age for instance. He may not be an old man by any means, But he is a full decade older than Laurel and they at different points in their lives. He ready to settle down, and shes just started to fly. There is also his relationship with Annaliese. He will forever be loyal to her. He owes her his life. Laurel and Annaliese aren't exactly compatible. They are both strong women who want to change the world, however their version of how the world would be better doesn't exactly match. Can he be loyal to them both, with the two very different relationships he has with them? Laurels stuck it out these past 7 months _**("How am I gonna learn to beat the game, if I dont learn how to play first?" She reminded herself of this every-time she felt like storming out of that office)**_, but he knew she was glad to be free once the school year officially ended.

So now he is back around to his initial problem. The school year is about to end, and he has no idea what Laurel is doing. He isn't okay with the idea of a three month break. But how does he ask her to stay around at least from some of her vacation, without talking about their relationship? Which he absolutely can not do. His insecurities have bubbled up to an all time high around her, and the absolute fear he has of her rejecting his request for an official relationship has him losing sleep at night. Because why would a girl like Laurel actually take on a man like Frank? She has the world in her hands, and all he is holding is a small piece of real estate in the same town he was born and raised in. He understands why she would have an ongoing sexual relationship with him, sure. He happens to own a mirror, thank you. And he knows he is good in bed. Plus, they spend an ungodly amount of time at that office, so who else is gonna put up with those work hours, other than someone doing the same? Its a satisfying and convenient arrangement that just kind of happened. Shes never called it anything else. They talk about/at work. Maybe go grab some drinks at the end of the day and even the occasional dinner. But her schedule is mostly school- to- work- to- not-enough-sleep, and back again. And his schedule is pretty much work all day and whenever Annaliese calls in middle of the night. When they both manage to break free, they usually don't have time for both sex **and** romance, and you can guess which one they choose.

But its all over now. Its just a few days, she will no longer be a constant presence at the office. She is no longer tied to Annaliese Keating. She is no longer tied to him. Will she just cut ties before she leaves, a quick "Its been fun" and off she goes? Will it dwindle down gradually, maybe until its non existent as she starts her second year and is no longer spending her time and energy around him? Will she meet some other idealist grad student now that she isn't spending all her free time interning? Fuck. All of those ideas absolutely suck. Hes gonna do it. Fuck his insecurities. He is a grown man, and Laurel is a mature lady. They can talk about this. He can accept rejection if it happens. He cant accept losing her simply because he never asked.

`````Later that night```````

Spent, Frank gently rolled of Laurel, twisting her so she laid against his chest as he fell. She was breathing quickly and he could feel the random aftershock shivers coming over her still. He smiled smugly for a moment, before screwing up all his courage. He was gonna tell her everything and they were gonna talk like the goddamn grown ups they were.

"Laurel, we need to talk. Its kind of important,and very overdue"

"mmhmmm" she hummed into his side. Her contented sigh fluttered against his skin sent goosebumps across his chest and arms. He looked down and saw her sleepy smile, messy and somehow sexy bed-hair, and gorgeous face and he lost his nerve again. Maybe he wasn't willing to give this up if she didnt want to be in a relationship. Maybe he could just see how it played out.

"Frank?" Shit, he had been quiet for a while. Nope, he was going through with it . He was going to be a man about this. Just ask for clarification, and move on.

" I was wondering what your summer plans were? I just...are you going to spend the whole break away or are you gonna stick around here at all?". Okay, so hes easing into. Rome wasn't built in a day.

"Why, would you miss me if I left?" Her tone was light and teasing, and he had no idea what the hell to make of it. Was she teasing him to be playful, or was she teasing because she didn't actually expect the answer to be yes. Fuck it, he rarely did the expected anyway.

"yes". One word and his world was tipped on its axis. He felt like throwing up. He felt like..wait. She didn't freeze or look at him like he had grown three heads. He heard he little giggle and felt the kiss she pressed into his skin.

"I know. Im gonna visit my parents for a couple of weeks, but after that we should go somewhere. Like an actual vacation. Do you have any vacation time? You should, you are always at work. Anyway it would be nice to actually be able to act like a couple in public now that I don't have to worry about being fired for dating "the boss".

Fired? Sure, they were discreet. He didn't want the other students to make fun of her or assume she got any favors from it. But Annaliese knew. Bonnie knew. They gave him more than enough grief over it, but most of that was good natured teasing. He wasn't a professor hired by the school, and he also wasn't a lawyer. It was a gray area, one that Annaliese had decided (in this case) wasnt really a big deal. Now he felt stupid. This whole time Laurel thought they were having secret rendezvous and being on the down-low. But more importantly Laurel thought they were a couple?

"yea, wherever you want to go. I have more thane enough time on the books to take off for a while."

She startled rattling off places she wanted to go. Some abroad, some continental, debating about the convenience of flying vs the bonding benefits of a road-trip and he tuned out. He didn't care where she settled on, he would go anywhere with her. He listened to the sound of her voice, feeling both relieved and stupid. He nearly gave himself a hear attack over something as simple as a communication barrier. Months of over thinking and fear could have easily been prevented by talking. Who would have thought? He doubted the rest of their issues would ever be resolved this easily, but right now he didn't care. He had one less problem to deal with, and the girl of his dreams, naked and planning a cross country road-trip, in his arms. The other shit could wait.


End file.
